Books

Anthony, Piers

When Clio, the Muse of History, sat down to pen the twenty-eighth volume in the Chronicles of Xanth, she was stunned to discover it was already there! And, what was worse, it was totally unreadable, for the words on its pages were fuzzed beyond comprehension.

Vexed and bewildered, and more than a little concerned, Clio resolved to leave the quiet comfort of her study on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, and ask her old friend, the Good Magician Humfrey, to search a solution to her problem in his Book of Answers.

But, much to her consternation, Humfrey required her to perform a magical Service before she could acquire her Answer: to rescue Xanth's dragons from the verge of extinction before the delicate balance of its wildlife was permanently thrown out of whack.

Her momentous mission lead her to a dangerous Dragon World hidden amongst the Moons of Ida, across a perilous landscape filled with wonder and danger, in search of the fabled Currant, a very rare red berry that might hold the secret she sought.

Along the way she acquired a fellowship of companions, including the brave and beautiful Becka Dragongirl, a pair of pocket dragons named Drew and Drusie, a charming young child called Ciriana whose destiny was somehow entwined with hers, and Sherlock, a sweet but homely man from Mundania who might just be a master magician himself.

Together they gradually began to unravel the momentous mystery of Xanth's missing history. And Clio began to realize that Sherlock's enchantments had begun to work their way into her heart... in Piers Anthony's Currant Events.

When the Good Magician Humfrey's son Hugo suddenly vanishes, his disappearance sets in motion a series of madcap misadventures that send a collection of colorful characters on a perilous pair of parallel quests. Among them are Debra, a pretty young girl beset by an obnoxious curse; Hugo's beloved wife Wira, whose sightlessness is balanced by a talent for sensitivity, Happy and Fray, a pair of sprightly storm-spirits; Nimbus, the Demon Xanth's own son; and the mysterious outlaw known as the Random Factor.

As they travel through some of the magical realm's most astonishing locales, these unwitting adventurers discover they are key players in a grand drama whose origins reach back to the origins of time itself.

Filled with exhilaration and excitement, ribaldry and romance, Air Apparent is a fabulous new fantasy saga from the lively imagination of master storyteller Piers Anthony.

Twenty-five years ago, Piers Anthony fascinated us with the creation of Xanth–a wondrous land where magic rules supreme. Since then, the dazzling world of Xanth has delighted millions of readers. Now, here are the first three novels of this classic series to enthrall a whole new generation. . . .

A SPELL FOR CHAMELEONWinner of the British Fantasy Award for Best Novel of the YearThough every citizen of Xanth has a special spell only he or she can cast, Bink of North Village has no magic. But the Good Magician Humphrey and Beauregard the genie insist that Bink indeed is capable of enchantment– magic more powerful than the King himself, or even the evil magician Trent. Now if only Bink can find his magic . . . before he is forced into exile.

THE SOURCE OF MAGICCurious about the source of Xanth’s magic, the King sends Bink on a daring quest for truth. From the beginning, Bink and his companions are harried by an unseen creature determined to thwart them. But when some allies become enemies, it will take all Bink’s ingenuity and luck to prevail on his mission, which takes an unexpectedly defiant turn.

CASTLE ROOGNAMillie had been a ghost for eight hundred years. But now, restored by the magic of Xanth, she is again a beautiful living woman. She can have any man she desires . . . except one: Jonathan the zombie. To help Millie, young Magician Dor embarks on a journey for the elixir that will restore Jonathan to full life–an adventure that will take him to the past, where his intentions are thwarted by a surprising encounter.

See how it all began! In Before They Were Giants, editor James L. Sutter collects the first published stories of 15 of science fiction and fantasy's most important authors, including winners of the prestigious Hugo and Nebula awards, New York Times bestsellers, and members of the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. Along with these often rare or never-before-anthologized stories, all 15 authors provide brand-new retrospective critiques and interviews discussing the stories' geneses, how publication affected their lives, and what they know now about writing that they wish they'd known then.

Wandering tribes of primitive humans meet and fight and love and die. When one tribe meets another, individuals fight inside a Battle Circle. The loser must become a member of the victorious tribe. Each warrior is named by his weapon. When Sol the Sword is bested by Sol of All Weapons, he loses his tribe, his name, and his weapon. Re-named Sos the Rope, he joins with Sol of All Weapons to try to create something greater than a world of Battle Circles.

An early classic from Piers Anthony, creator of the legendary Xanth series, Sos the Rope was nominated for the prestigious Hugo Award.

From international bestselling authors, Piers Anthony and J.R. Rain, comes a story of a dolphin and a girl...and the end of the world.

Astronomers from around the globe are reporting the coming Pulse, a burst of energy that will incinerate the earth. And as the Pulse comes ever closer, help will arrive from a very unlikely source...aliens living in the oceans depths.

Now, armed with information to save the world, one dolphin and one girl must race to save mankind...

Alp, a 9th century Turkish war-chieftain, is whisked away from his tribe and his era at the moment of his death, and finds himself in 2332. This future is ruled by humans called the Galactics who preside over a live-action game where the participants can actually die. Against his will, Alp is forced to fight once more.

Being grown up is a drag . . . or so thinks Lacuna, one of the michievous Castle Zombie twins. So she makes the Good Magician Grey an an offer he can't refuse. Thirsty for a taste of the Elixir of Youth, she'll help him outwit the evil Com-Pewter if he'll send her to Hell (in a handbasket, no less) to find Humphrey, the missing sorcerer. And while there, she'll learn the True History of Xanth (simplified) and help rescue a blushing Rose from the demon X(A/N) . . . with the help of a gorgon or two.